Semi final, first leg

Match played on 4th February

Real Madrid 2 - Sevilla 0

Real Madrid: César; Michel Salgado, Iván Helguera, Raúl Bravo, Roberto Carlos; Beckham, Guti; Figo (Portillo 33'), Zidane, Solari (Juanfran 86'); Raúl. 4-2-3-1.
Sevilla: Esteban; Daniel Alves, Alfaro, Javi Navarro, David; Torrado, Martí; Redondo, Baptista, Antonio López (Antoñito 69'); Darío Silva (Marañon 90'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 55. Solari. Cut in round Alves and fired shot into roof of net from wide angle.
2-0. 76. Raúl. Controlled Guti pass on edge of area and shot low past Esteban.

Real Madrid moved closer to another cup final after beating Sevilla 2-0 in the first leg of their semi final. The visitors held their own in a lively first half, and either side could have scored before the break. But Solari picked up a pass from Portillo ten minutes in to the second half and surprised Esteban with a shot from a wide angle, and Raúl added a second a quarter of an hour from the end after Guti played on Solari's cross.

Guti brought a good save out of Esteban and Juanfran just failed to get on a Roberto Carlos cross as Madrid pushed for a third, but the Andalucians could also have got the away goal they needed if Pablo Alfaro's header had not gone wide in the last minute. The second leg takes place in Sevilla next Wednesday.

Match played on 5th February

Alavés 1 - Zaragoza 1

Alavés: Juan Pablo; Coira, Téllez, Ochoa, Sietes; Turiel, Pablo; Edu Alonso, Eneko Romo (Kiko 61'), Iván Alonso; Vucko (Astudillo 78'). 4-2-3-1.
Zaragoza: Lainez; Ferrón (Movilla 46'), Milito, Alvaro, Toledo; Cani, Cuartero, Generelo (Dani 63'), Savio; David Villa, Drulic (Soriano 46'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 17. Vucko. Headed past Lainez from close up after Iván Alonso set him up.
1-1. 90. Savio. Shot in off post after David Villa squared ball across from right.

A last minute goal from Savio gave Zaragoza a 1-1 draw against second division Alavés. The home side had taken the lead with a quarter of an hour on the clock when Vucko headed past Lainez after Iván Alonso knocked on a cross from his namesake Edu Alonso, and Iván came close to making it two later in the first half.

But referee Ramírez Domínguez controversially sent off Turiel a quarter of an hour from the end for a rigorous second booking having already let Alvaro and Movilla off possible red cards, and with the game coming to an end David Villa found Savio for him to square the match.

Víctor Muñoz's side are now favourites to go through, and they must be hoping to meet Real Madrid in the final, thereby virtually assuring themselves of a place in the UEFA cup next season.